According to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study, drivers using Apple CarPlay report significantly higher satisfaction with the system than those using Android Auto i.e. 777 vs. 748, respectively on a 1,000-point scale. However, Google Maps continues to remain the preferred choice of navigation, even for iPhone owners.
The study found that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the most rapidly adopted technologies and are quickly becoming “must haves” for many consumers just a few years after their introduction. “This rapid adoption of smartphone mirroring is the unavoidable outcome of consumers thinking that automakers are being outperformed by smartphone software providers in certain areas,” said executive director Kristin Kolodge.
Interestingly, 19% of new-vehicle owners who have factory-installed navigation don’t use it and, of these, 70% use another device instead, almost always a smartphone.
Among owners who use their own navigation system, 56% use Google Maps most often and 16% use Google-owned Waze most often, while only 23% use Apple Maps most often. Even iPhone owners are more likely to use Google Maps than Apple Maps, whereas very few Android owners use Apple Maps.
Overall satisfaction with new-vehicle technology among owners of luxury vehicles averages 766, while satisfaction among owners of mass-market vehicles is 765. This is a 16-point and 15-point improvement, respectively, from 2017.
The study has also revealed that 62% of Apple CarPlay owners and 67% of Android Auto owners learn how to use this technology outside the dealership even if they initially learned from interaction with a dealer.
